Rotary's annual Peach Festival is August 18 - don't miss out on the fun! Plenty of volunteer opportunities are still available. To sign up, go to http://signup.com/go/rbRPOoJRotary's annual Peach Festival is August 18 - don't miss out on the fun! Plenty of volunteer opportunities are still available. To sign up, go to http://signup.com/go/rbRPOoJ
This Wednesday, July 18th, begins the official kickoff for your Rotary Club’s centennial celebration with the dedication at the Café Grove at the Gardens on Spring Creek. This event celebrates all four Rotary Clubs in Fort Collins along with the gratitude to Bob and Joyce Everitt for inspiring us to make this another great service project to the City of Fort Collins.
Rotarians will gather at 5:00 PM for the unveiling of a special monument that stands to commemorate Rotary’s 100 years of service to community. This special celebration will be at the Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Avenue.
Rotarian Bob Everitt and his wife Joyce donated $85,000 with the proviso that the Rotary Clubs would complete the $100,000 commitment to the Cafe’ Grove at the Gardens on Spring Creek as a contribution to our community for all to enjoy for generations to come. Café Grove is a park within a park complete with trees, park benches, and spaces available for food trucks. The goal was met, and now it is time to celebrate. This Rotary project has been several years in the making, and now it stands out as one of the signature accomplishments in our Centennial for all of Rotary in Fort Collins. While Café Grove is in process with plantings, we can share the vision for what is to come.
The Gardens on Spring Creek is a spectacular community effort, and Rotary’s role will be a legacy for the next century. Members of the four Rotary Clubs in Fort Collins have much to celebrate. After all, this celebration has been 100 years in the making.
The raffle for a 1 carat diamond will be held August 1. Don't miss out on your, and your friend's chance to win a diamond with an estimated worth of $14,000. Just $25 per ticket, or 5 tickets for $100. See Bonnie Titley for details.
July 11, Committee Co-Chairs Rob Marschke and Kathy Nicol awarded two Community Grants. Accepting a $4000 grant for the Poudre Heritage Alliance were Kathleen Benedict, Executive Director and Bob Overbeck, Board Chairman. The Poudre Heritage Alliance builds a deeper understanding of the Poudre River’s national significance including its role in shaping water development, water law, and water management. Our $4,000.00 grant will support field trips to the Poudre River for ten Larimer County Schools, enabling 600 students to experience hands-on, inquiry-based learning. The budget for our grant funding includes $2,500.00 for field trips, $1,000.00 for professional services, and $500.00 for program coordination.
Accepting a $1150 grant for CSU's Camp Kesem were Sarah Whipple and Celia Adams. Camp Kesem helps children living with a parent or guardian’s cancer by providing a free week of camp fun where they can interact with other children going through similar experiences and process their grief. Colorado State University students organize and participate in Camp Kesem. Children experience a marked increase in ability to express their feelings, confidence in handling challenges, and improved self-esteem.
At the end of the camp week a picnic is hosted for campers, their families, and the staff in Fort Collins. Our $1,150.00 grant will fund a bus trip back to Fort Collins so that the children and their families can participate in the picnic.
Wednesday, July 11th, our speaker, a Ft Collins native is Melisa Esposito, now Director of Grants for Project C.U.R.E. This organization is the world's largest distributor of donated medical supplies and equipment. My experience in medicine reminds me there is an abundance of durable, usable items from our medical system because of Federal regulations requiring disposable and single use. Multiple hospitals participate in this program including ones in Northern Colorado. Distribution is based on expert assessment of needs in locales. Specific donations were illustrated for a few of these projects-eg, OB delivery tables, hospital beds, water purification, and surgical supplies. Rotary International currently provides grants for 6 projects in this organization. Highlights with photos were shown for a few active projects. For example-
"Saving Mothers" partners with other NGO's and local governments to improve perinatal care in a number of countries (think AIDS) and has resulted in a 40% decrease in infant/maternal mortality where this has been in use.
A project in Tanzania addresses the needs of medical provision in prisons (often neglected in African countries) with supplies for in-house dispensaries.
The needs (eg, 6 deliveries per day) of a large refugee camp in Rwanda seemed overwhelming where there are 3 medical doctors per 50,000 inhabitants. (Melisa listed the UN definitions for the terms "migrant", "asylum seeker" and "refugee"-terms all too familiar to us on the daily news reports).
Seemed to me, a David and Goliath story, in this world of seemingly overwhelming problems. Organizations like this remind us that "David" can prevail.
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HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!! No RCFC Meetings this week. We'll see you all next Wednesday, July 11. .jpg)
"When in the course of human events it becomes necessary... We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
RCFC Community Grants Co-Chairs Kathy Nicol and Rob Marschke presented a $3000 grant to Homeless Alliance (Homeless Gear Inc.), to assist the One Village One Family program supporting five families. Accepting the award was Development Director Pam Brewer and Development Coordinator Fulvia Serra. Homeless Gear's mission is to empower individuals and families who face homelessness to survive, move forward and thrive.
Loren W. Crabtree, recently the Chief Executive for Global Education for the Institute for Shipboard Education, summarized what the Semester at Sea is and does, and why it is headquartered at CSU. The Institute is a 501c3 corporation that arranges two semester-long voyages each year for some 600 students each time. Student participants earn 12 – 15 credits that are transferable, in addition to becoming better citizens of the world. A small number of “life-long learners” can also participate on a credit or non-credit basis. Courses concentrate on arts and sciences and Business subjects. Each trip comprises some 104 days (one semester) at sea stopping at some ten ports for on-shore activities. The average cost is $25,000. Some 97% of past student participants have indicated that it was the best experience of their undergraduate careers. Although many of the students are transformed by the experience, Dr. Crabtree suggests that the continuous up-close and personal involvement with the students might lead life-long learners who are “uptight” to focus on other experiences.
Semester at Sea has been headquartered at CSU since 2014 because the school is highly competitive and internationalized (e.g., the Peace Corps originated here); within the framework of its land-grant origins, the school is well-respected in a significant number of related disciplines (in the top 82 in the country); the school has a wide base of entrepreneurial spirit; and some 80 CSU faculty and staff members have served on earlier Semester at Sea voyages. CSU, with its wide-ranging international focus, was excited by the opportunity to host this innovative approach to increasing global awareness on the part of the undergraduate community.
June 20, we performed our annual change of leadership, when Past President Glenn Schmidt hosted a light roasting/toasting of outgoing President Jeanne Fangman, and we inducted the 2018-19 Board and Officers: •President - Steve Laine
•President Elect - Rob Marschke
•Past President - Jeanne Fangman
•Club Treasurer - Kelso Kelly
•Club Assistant Treasurer - Bonnie Titley
•Club-secretary - Rod Morrison
•Executive Secretary - Phyllis Abt
•Director: Cindy De Groot - 2019
•Director: Kathy Nicol - 2019
•Director: Steve Vessey - 2020
•Director: Jean Lamm - 2020
•Director: Annette Geiselman - 2021
•Director: Robin Steele - 2021
President Steve Laine graduated from UCLA in 1984, and is the owner of MKO Financial. He joined Rotary in 2006, and has served on the membership committee, board of directors, participated in the four-way program and co-chaired the RYLA and Young RYLA committee. Steve is a graduate of Rotary Leadership Institute.
Steve and his wife Kristine have three children; Matthew, who just graduated from CSU, Katherine now attending CSU, and Olivia, a freshman at Fossil Ridge High School this fall. Steve says he is looking forward to a great year for our Club as we continue to make a positive impact on our community and the world.
Past-President Jeanne Fangman joined the Rotary Club of Fort Collins in 1994 (sponsored by Julie Johnson-Hafner). Her Rotary involvement includes being Treasurer of Rotary READ since 1999, Chair of the Care and Recognition Committee, the Membership Committee and on the Community Grants Committee. She joined the Board of Directors in 2013-14, served as Club Secretary in 2014-15 and was recognized as Quiet Rotarian in May, 2013.
Larry Salmen, member of the newly formed IT Committee, announced the addition of a Calendar function to the RCFC home page, and gave a demonstration of how to access, and how members can logon and update their own profile. If anyone needs help with their logon or password, please contact Larry, or IT Committee members Chuck Ulfers or Stacy Plemmons. All 2018-19 Committee Chairs will be given "Editor" status for the new calendar, and a brief training how to access and add new events. 
Wednesday June 13, Bonnie Titley awarded Paul Harris Fellows to close friends Janice Skinner and Richard Crandall. These bring the total PHF's sponsored by Bonnie to 25 - Amazing. Thanks Bonnie. The Paul Harris Fellow was established in 1957 to honor Rotary Founder Paul Harris, to express appreciation for anyone contributing $1000 or more to support the humanitarian and educational programs of the Rotary Foundation. Those program include an array of programs that save and invigorate lives around the world and enhance international friendships and understanding. Foundation programs provide educational opportunities, food, potable water, health care, immunizations and shelter for millions of people. Rotarians may also designate a Paul Harris Fellow to another person whose life demonstrates a shared purpose with the objectives and mission of the Rotary Foundation to build world understanding and peace.
June 6, TRF Chair Mike Sollenberger recognized Lee Jeffrey (+5) ,Harry Taylor (+4) and Jerry Smith (+1) for their continued contribution to the Rotary Foundation. 
Our June 13th speaker, RCFC Member Nate Lamkin, came to Fort Collins from Massachusetts, where he served as a senior management member for Care Dimensions, the largest non-profit hospice in that state. He has been the President of Pathways Care since May of 2017. He started with the history of hospice starting in medieval Europe, and the modern start in the UK in 1967. The first US hospice was established in Connecticut in 1973.
Today there are 4382 Medicare certified hospice facilities in the US. Lamkin indicated the average length of stay is 71 days, with the median stay 24 days, indicating most hospice engagements are long, but at least half are very short - less than 24 days. He went on to note what hospice is NOT: abandoning hope, either hastening or prolonging death, over medication, or only for those actively dying. Nate noted that hospice's core focus is on quality of life until the end, focusing on comfort care and assisting the person spend their remaining days where they consider "home".
June 1 and 2, Twenty volunteers, from the Satellite along with Noon members, Rotary After Works members and a few Kiwanis had a successful painting weekend, painting the Cheetah, Otters, and Dinos classrooms for The Family Center. Since 1995, The Family Center/La Familia, a bilingual organization, has offered high quality early childhood education and family strengthening services. Thanks to everyone that helped!
RYLA Alum Jai Ramchander was introduced by Committee Chair Lloyd Thomas. Jai will be a junior at Fossil Ridge H.S., and is a member of the National Honor Society, the Math Honor Society and the Sexual Assault Resource Team, a PSD's initiative to "promote community dialog and information about sexual assault". He is Goalie for the J.V. soccer team, plays saxophone in Recreational Jazz Band, mentors academically challenged kids at the Boys & Girls Club, and volunteers at the "Loveland Kids Pack" (a collaborative project with the Loveland Rotary Club and the Larimer Co. food bank.) Thanks Jai!
President Jeanne Fangman exchanges banners with Rotarian Jean Pierre Dayan, of France, a guest of Betty Brown. Jean Pierre was accompanied by his son Franck, who is a professor at CSU.
Last week, Professor (University of Colorado) and author Dr Patty Limerick shared her insights into the Bear Ears National Monument controversy which is now being debated through the US court system. The 1906 Antiquities Act gave a US president the power to create national monuments, but it is not clear whether the law grants Presidents the power to reduce. In 2016 President Barack Obama created this monument but a year later Donald Trump has attempted to dramatically (85%) reduce the size of Bears Ear. Patty detailed for us the historical and cultural reasons why a simple "pro or con" stance on this issue is difficult. The historical perspective was described as "largely absent from the (current) public debate". Does the transition of large tracts of land from public or Native Americans to private ownership, or from private ownership to Federal ownership represent progress? How has our appreciation of the beauty of arid lands changed our value of such property (especially in the west)? Is the (unchallenged) presidential power to create (or change) national monuments desirable or appropriate? What is unique about this site?
In Utah (as well as other parts of this continent) we must consider the historical and cultural connection between land and Native American peoples and how it differed from the European settlers beliefs. Especially unique to Utah is the LDS influence. Brigham Young wrote of the importance of stewardship of the land. Early on, the church distributed land before the Federal government took on this role. The church practiced peaceful relationships with the Natives. In spite of more recent conflicts, the LDS church historically has been supportive of the Federal Government.
So often the history behind a current conflict has been forgotten; Dr Limerick helped us remember the value of understanding history in one of many present day debates.
Past President Glenn Schmidt inducted RCFC's newest member, Debora Bernagozzi, sponsored by Martin Limbird. Debora is primarily a video, photography, media and fiber artist. Welcome Debora!
RYLA Chair 
Lloyd Thomas introduced two RYLA students joining us for lunch. Isha Agarwal and Nehal Patel are both incoming Seniors at Liberty Common H.S. Both are excellent academic students and athletes as well as community volunteers. Nehal maintains a GPA of 3.9 and Isha keeps a 4.2 GPA. 
Last week Centennial Chair Lynne Baker led a talented troupe of RCFC members in a reenactment of a 10th anniversary FCRC meeting. Fine acting and period dress effectively took us back to 1928. 1928 President Arthur Johnson (Stacy Plemmons) spoke first; reviewing the many accomplishments during the club's first 10 years. Highlights included the Committee to Investigate Vice's recommendation to control venereal disease in our fair city and their success "keeping Ft Collins dry". The club had raised dues from $1 to $12 per month, and used funds to adopt a French orphan from the War to End All Wars, help build the Armory Building, support the YMCA and a boys camp at Red Feather, provide milk and a Christmas program for indigent school children and provide interest free loans to students at the Agricultural College.
The next speaker was Rotary's "5th Founder", Harry Ruggles (Martin Limbird) who is credited with introducing singing and the Rotary songbook. We sang 2 songs from that era. Should we be concerned that everyone seemed to know the words to "Let Me Call You Sweetheart"?
Sylvester Sheely (Eric Peterson), visiting from Chicago, described how he and Paul Harris started Rotary in 1905 as a group where local businessmen could communicate and support one another, subsequently adding "service" to the mission. He then introduced the keynote speaker, Founder Paul Harris (Guy Kelly) who reviewed the origins of Rotary, his time in Colorado, and his travel abroad, plus Rotary's role in building peace.
"Paul" also announced that a real 1928 issue, "the Rotary Gearwheel controversy" was resolved (how many cogs, plus the key slot that allowed the wheel to go from passive to active), establishing today's Rotary symbol.
The presentation ending with the speculation of what the club might look like at it's 100th anniversary. Special program "credits" were given to Guy Kelley for his writing, acting and (I suspect) directing this presentation which got us all in the mood for our centennial celebration.
Student of the Month Committee Chair, Jack Vogt introduced Dave Fox, teacher at the Poudre Community Academy, who in turn introduced RCFC's Student of the Month, Candy Murphy. The Poudre Community Academy conducts classes four days a week, leaving Wednesday for Service Learning activities. Candy works at the Wellington Animal Rescue (lives on the site!) and specializes in using human patience to relax scared pets. Candy's proud parents, Tony and Stephany attended. 
May 23, TRF Committee Chair Mike Sollenberger presented Justice Nicol with her first Paul Harris Fellow pin. Ron Stoops received his pin for PHF+5. Thanks to you both!
May 23rd, Club member Kirvin Knox was introduced by Dave Stewart. Mr. Knox informed us that no bill had been passed yet so he addressed what may likely be in the bill with some additional color of various aspects that impact the content of the bill. He informed us that there has been much analysis of the bill along with a heavy lobbying effort in support of the bill’s passage. The bill is deemed a national security issue to ensure there is an adequate food supply. The Farm Bill is the primary vehicle used to address issues around food adequacy in our country.
The first food bill was the Agricultural Adjustment Act passed in 1933 and it contained provisions to pay farmers for not growing food crops. Some of the more interesting commodity food price comparisons from 1949 to 2017 are: Corn, from $1.24/bushel to $3.36/bushel; cotton from $28.60/hundred weight to $67.40; milk from $.82/gallon to $3.23 and wheat from $1.88/bushel to $4.60. The point was made that global commodity markets impact our prices and government subsidies kick in when the price goes below the cost of production.
The bill will likely have 10 sections called Titles. The various titles address biofuels, conservation, wildlife habitat, NAFTA, food stamps, credit (the Farm Credit System), rural development, forestry and horticulture. We import half of our food in America from overseas and 42 million Americans are “food insecure”, meaning their household incomes are insufficient to feed their families.
Four members were listed in last week's Rotogear as District Rotarian of the Year. Which RCFC Member (2017) was left out of that list? Hint: Think Flowers.
Wednesday, May 16 District Governor Bill Emsley, his wife Tracey, and Sudeep from Nepal, visited RCFC and re-presented Bill Timpson with the District 5440 Rotarian of the Year honor. DG Emsley praised Timpson for his leadership in Peace and Reconciliation worldwide, and his initiatives within and through Rotary to bring peace. Sudeep presented a banner from his club to President Jeanne Fangman. 
